Tissue Printing and Dual Excitation Flow Cytometry for Oxidative Stress—New Tools for Reactive Oxygen Species Research in Seed Biology

The intracellular homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and especially of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide participate in signaling cascades which dictate developmental processes and reactions to stresses. ROS are also biological molecules that play important roles in seed dormancy and germination. Because of their rapid reactivity, short half-life and low concentration, ROS are difficult to measure directly with high accuracy and precision. In presented work tissue printing method with image analysis and dual excitation flow cytometry (FCM) were developed for rapid detection and localization of O₂^•− and H₂O₂ in different part of seed. Tissue printing and FCM detection of ROS showed that germination of wild oat seeds was associated with the accumulation of O₂^•− and H₂O₂ in embryo (coleorhiza, radicle and scutellum), aleurone layer and coat. To verify if printing and FCM signals were specified, the detection of O₂^•− and H₂O₂ in seeds incubated in presence of O₂^•− generation inhibitor (DPI) or H₂O₂ scavenger (CAT) were examined. All results were a high level of agreement among the level of ROS derived from presented procedures with the ones created from spectrophotometric measured data. In view of the data obtained, tissue printing with image analysis and FCM are recommended as a simple and fast methods, which could help researchers to detection and level determination of ROS in the external and inner parts of the seeds.     

Thermo-mechanical and mechanical behavior of hybrid isotactic polypropylene glass fiber reinforced composites (GFRC) modified with calcium carbonate (CaCO3)

The study investigates the thermo-mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) hybrid composites in reference to various amounts of particle- and fiber-shaped inorganic fillers. Three grades of hybrid composites were prepared as a function of filler amount: 5, 10, and 20 wt% and different ratios of glass fiber (GF) and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃). The main objective is to describe the relationship between the hybridization efficiency and mechanical performance of polypropylene-based composites. The analysis of the thermo-mechanical properties of the composites shows that both the total amount of the filler and the ratio of GF and CaCO₃ clearly influence the properties of the composites. Hybrid composites with the highest amount of the GF display improved thermo-mechanical stability. The presence of well-dispersed CaCO₃ in the composites was found to improve elongation at break and Vicat softening temperature values. Even though it is glass fiber, which shows higher filler effectiveness and visibly reinforces the composite samples, causing an increase in tensile strength or reinforcing efficiency, replacing up to 50% of this filler with calcium carbonate does not result in a considerable deterioration of the properties of the material.     

Emerging Role of Microbiome in the Prevention of Urinary Tract Infections in Children

The microbiome of the urinary tract plays a significant role in maintaining health through the impact on bladder homeostasis. Urobiome is of great importance in maintaining the urothelial integrity and preventing urinary tract infection (UTI), as well as promoting local immune function. Dysbiosis in this area has been linked to an increased risk of UTIs, nephrolithiasis, and dysfunction of the lower urinary tract. However, the number of studies in the pediatric population is limited, thus the characteristic of the urobiome in children, its role in a child’s health, and pediatric urologic diseases are not completely understood. This review aims to characterize the healthy urobiome in children, the role of dysbiosis in urinary tract infection, and to summarize the strategies to modification and reshape disease-prone microbiomes in pediatric patients with recurrent urinary tract infections.     

The microstructure of erbium-ytterbium co-doped oxyfluoride glass-ceramic optical fibers

Oxyfluoride transparent glass-ceramics combine some features of glasses (easier shaping or lower than single crystals cost of fabrication) and some advantages of rare-earth doped single crystals (narrow absorption/emission lines and longer lifetimes of luminescent levels). Since the material seems to be promising candidate for efficient fiber amplifiers, the manufacturing as well as structural and optical examination of the oxyfluoride glass-ceramic fibers doped with rare-earth ions seems to be a serious challenge. In the first stage oxyfluoride glasses of the following compositions 48SiO₂-11Al₂O₃-7Na₂CO₃-10CaO-10PbO-11PbF₂-3ErF₃ and 48SiO₂-11Al₂O₃-7Na₂CO₃-10CaO-10PbO-10PbF₂-3YbF₃-1ErF₃ (in molar%) were fabricated from high purity commercial chemicals (Sigma-Aldrich). The fabricated glass preforms were drawn into glass fibers using the mini-tower. Finally, the transparent Er³⁺ doped and Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped oxyfluoride glass-ceramic fibers were obtained by controlled heat treatment of glass fibers. The preceding differential thermal analysis (DTA) studies allowed estimating both the fiber drawing temperature and the controlled crystallization temperature of glass fibers. X-ray diffraction examination (XRD) at each stage of the glass-ceramic fibers fabrication confirmed the undesirable crystallization of preforms and glass fibers has been avoided. The fibers shown their mixed amorphous-crystalline microstructure with nano-crystals of size even below 10 nm distributed in the glassy host. The crystal structure of the grown nano-crystals has been determined by XRD and confirmed by electron diffraction (SAED). Results obtained by both techniques seem to be compatible: Er₃FO₁₀Si₃ (monoclinic; ICSD 92512), Pb₅Al₃F₁₉ (triclinic; ICSD 91325) and Er₄F₂O₁₁Si₃ (triclinic; ICSD 51510) against to initially expected PbF₂ crystals.     

Computational model of an inclined aerial ropeway and numerical method for analyzing nonlinear cable-car interaction

The main objective of the paper is to present the computational model of a bi-cable aerial ropeway, which provides a scope for investigating the nonlinear interaction between the carrying cable motion and the swaying motion of traveling passenger carriers, depending on cable track inclination. To solve nonlinear equations of motion of two coupled sub-systems: multi-span cable and carriers idealized as physical pendulums, the special numerical method is developed, where initial vibrations of carriers (before entering a cable track) are used as a base for predicting further history of motion. Numerical analysis performed for different inclinations of a cable track led to the conclusion that nonlinear interaction effects are not significant and can be neglected to simplify the computational procedure in further research.     

Observations of Stresses and Strains in a Granular Material

The use of glass ballotini as a granular material provides the opportunity to simultaneously study internal stress fields and internal fields of deformation as a sample is submitted to boundary perturbations. Digital image correlation makes use of the visible fabric of the material to deduce a field of displacements from one digital photographic image to the next. If the glass granules are immersed in a fluid having the same refractive index, then observation with polarized light exploits the photoelastic properties of the glass to reveal information about the stresses. Again, comparison of digital photographs enables changes in stress conditions from one image to the next to be discovered. Tests performed in a simple loading device which forces rotation of principal axes in parts of the granular mass are presented to demonstrate the unique potential of this dual experimental configuration.     

Changes in chemical composition and antioxidative properties of rye ginger cakes during their shelf-life

Changes in chemical composition and antioxidative properties of rye ginger cakes during their shelf-life were investigated in this study. In particular, the changes in antioxidants content, antioxidative and reducing capacity, and Maillard reaction development in rye ginger cakes after long-term storage were addressed. Ginger cakes produced according to the traditional and current recipe were stored for 5 years at room temperature in a dark place. The total phenolic compounds (TPC), inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), reduced (GSH) and oxidised glutathione (GSSG) contents, antioxidant and reducing capacity and Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were determined in ginger cakes after storage and then compared to those measured after baking. After long-term storage a decrease in TPC and IP6 contents in cakes was noted. In contrast, an increase in antioxidative and reducing capacity of stored cakes was observed. Long-term storage induced formation of furosine, advanced and final Maillard reaction products and caused changes in both reduced and oxidised forms of glutathione. After long-term storage the modest changes in furosine, FAST index and browning in ginger cake formulated with dark rye flour may suggest that this product is the healthiest among others. Therefore, traditional rye ginger cakes can be considered as an example of a healthy food that is also relatively stable during long term storage as noted by the small chemical changes observed in its composition.     

Supramolecular associations of poly(ketanil)s with sulfonic acid derivatives of benzenetricarboxamide via Brönsted acid–base interactions: Preparation,spectroscopic morphological and thermal investigations

Supramolecular aggregations have been obtained via ionic self-assembly of conjugated poly(ketanil)s and sulfonic acid derivatives of benzenetricarboxamides. To achieve this goal a new protonating molecule has been synthesized which is a derivative of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide with sulfonic acid group at each of its ends. 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamides of C₃ symmetry tend to form ordered supramolecular aggregations via π-stacking and this property is retained in their sulfonic acid derivative. Because of their Brönsted acid nature the new molecules can additionally associate conjugated polymers with basic centers such as poly(ketanil)s. Depending on the processing solvent used (MC or DMA) 1,3,5- the sulfonic acid derivative of benzenetricarboxamide and its associations with poly(ketanil)s form aggregations of spherullite-like or feather-like morphologies as evidenced by polarized optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The similarity of this supramolecular organization is also corroborated by DSC studies which in both cases show endothermic type transitions of the same origin. The supramolecular acid–base associations are semi-crystalline in nature and exhibit good mechanical properties at room temperature because of a rather low T_g, in the vicinity of 300 K. This unusual lowering of T_g by ca. 90 K as compared to the case of poly(ketanil)s in their basic form is caused by the plasticizing effect of the protonating agent. Finally polyketanil–1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide sulfonic acid derivatives show tunable photoluminescence which depends on the solvent and SO₃H/CN molar ratio.     

Statistical evaluation of different technological and rheological tests of Polish wheat varieties for bread volume prediction

Forty‐two Polish wheat flour were used to establish correlation coefficients between protein content, Zeleny test, falling number value, amylograph viscosity, farinograph water absorption, bread volume and rheological properties of dough, as shown by use of a extrusion chamber and alveograph. The equations expressing the changes of bread volume and flour water absorption as a function of significantly correlated parameters were calculated. The correlations and their significance depended on wheat quality and the alveographic parameters were significantly correlated with the dough extrusion parameters. The dough extrusion parameters were significantly correlated only with the water absorption of soft wheats. The dough rheological tests were correlated to a greater extent with the values of the Zeleny test than to the protein content. The prediction of the bread volume as a function of flour quality parameters and dough rheological properties was best done by grouping wheat varieties into specific qualitative classes.